Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Orchha

Tucked
away in the recesses of my mind is an enduring image about Orchha, that lovely
medieval hamlet by River Betwa in Madhya Pradesh. It’s often recalled, often
spoken-off but never forgotten. And no, it’s not about the town’s renowned
monuments, though they do play a guest role, it’s about people, a band of
pilgrims to be precise.

This
group from Tikamgarh, about 85 km away, was passing through Orchha en route
Rajasthan. They had arrived around dawn and were energetically going about
their morning business: laundry, bathing, grooming in and around the river
waters. When I sauntered to the Betwa riverside a little after daybreak I was
treated to that unforgettable view. Their laundry — bright sarees, white dhotis
and kurtas — were spread out on the many boulders in the river, making a
vibrant foreground to the serene backdrop of chhatris (cenotaphs) on the
opposite riverbank. It was a charmingly-quintessential rustic India spectacle
but what added to its aura was my interaction with this merry group.

The
weather was cold and this was an elderly gang traversing the terrain on foot
and spending nights under the cover of stars. It would take them days to reach
their destination but nothing was a deterrent. All they carried as part of
their belongings for the month-long tour was, well, the forerunner of today’s
backpack, the humble jhola, filled with literally two pieces of clothing, some
of which I had seen adding colour to the Betwa’s shores. One of the persons had
a traditional drum that was placed on the feet and played and another
a manjira (pair of cymbals); these instruments being required for impromptu bhajan sessions of the kind I witnessed
when they had spruced themselves and were ready for departure. This leisurely pack,
I felt, was the classic Indian traveller, who had been on the go for centuries,
his tote full of experiences, save we urban cookies had forgotten he existed
long-long before we began hitting the trails. Orchha acquainted me with an
engaging sliver of invisible India, the reason it stays a top-of-the-line
travel experience.

Now
a palm-sized hamlet, Orchha was once a seat of power. Established by Bundela
rajput chief Rudra Pratap Singh in 1501 AD, dynastic rule continued in the
kingdom until the privy purse was introduced following India’s independence.
With its rulers being patrons of art, today’s Orchha is a proud keeper of their
legacy and is celebrated for its attractive collection of 16th -17th century
edifice, considered glorious illustrations of Bundelkhand architectural heritage.
Each is further wrapped in a delightful legend; and with tour guides adding
their bit of rehearsed drama to history, walking the dusty lanes of Orchha
feels akin to going back in time.

The
most imposing of Orchha’s structures is the Jahangir Mahal built by Raja Bir
Singh Deo. A seven-level construction, it’s a fetching mix of Indo-Islamic
design, with jharokhas (jutting windows), chhatris (domed pavilions), chajjas
(eaves) and jalis (lattice) dominating the play in the sandstone. Perceptibly,
distinct Chinese elements are part of the relief design, as the chrysanthemum
flower or the pagoda style sloping roof of a few chhatris. This, my guide
informed, was on account of trade with China and was inspired by elaborate brocade
patterns royalty wore. I could not authenticate that part of the information
but it surely added a degree of romance while viewing stone and mortar of a
bygone era. Constructed to commemorate the visit of Mughal emperor Jahangir
(then still known as Prince Salim) to Orchha, it’s still in relatively good
shape and a trek to its top-most level provides a beautiful view of the idyllic
town.

The
mahal is part of the Orchha Fort complex that includes the Raj Mahal, where
frescoes—Diwan-i-Khaas has Persian carpet-like motifs—are not to be missed, and
the Rai Parveen Mahal a bit downhill, that was built by Raja Indramani (1672-76
AD), for his eponymous consort, who quite typically was a court singer-dancer,
poetess and a stunning beauty. Her two-storey palace, amidst the gardens of
Anand Bagh, is unfortunately often skipped by visitors owing to its tad-tedious
access. But a visit here does bring alive her love legend and I could almost
hear the melodic sound of ghunghroos
as I viewed Rai Praveen’s dancing portraits painted on the lime plaster walls.
Yes, my experience was courtesy the tour guide who indeed had an overflowing
bank of fascinating tales. one of these being her subtle rejection of Emperor
Akbar via a couplet.

While
on myths, there’s an intriguing one about Orchha’s Ram Raja Temple, said to be
the only temple in the country where Lord Rama is worshiped as monarch. Legend
says, the wife of Maharaja Madhukarshah (1554 –1592 AD), Maharani Ganesh
Kunwar, an ardent devotee of Lord Rama, was returning from Ayodhya with his
idols which were to be installed in an especially-built shrine (now called
Chaturbhuj Temple). Legend says, Lord Rama had agreed to come on a few
conditions these being, he would rule Orchha and secondly his idol would remain
where it was placed initially. As the maharani had retuned to the kingdom late
at night she naively kept the idols in her palace with the idea of moving them
to the new temple’s sanctum-sanatorium the next morning. At sunrise when she
tried lifting the idols they wouldn’t move... and ever since the palace became
Lord Rama’s temple and the shrine built for him, later down the years, turned
into a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his Chaturbhuj (or four arm)
form.

The
Chaturbhuj Temple is rather striking and I felt it was similar to visiting a
basilica. Almost every aspect of its design —vaulted roof, massive doors and
large corridor— reinforced the notion. Another impressive edifice was a short
distance away from town centre, about 1 km that is; remember Orchha is tiny! It
was the Lakshmi Narayan Temple which I found was a mix of quirky architecture
and remarkable Bundeli style painting on walls and ceilings. There were also
some valuable depictions of the 1857 mutiny.

These
and a few other small structures — as the Phool Bagh that has the unique
Sawan-Bhadon towers, which are wind catchers, a concept that arrived here from
Iran — are key tributes in stone that Orchha offers. But what I found most
charming were its 14 chhatris or cenotaphs to Orchha rulers, all grouped along
the Kanchana Ghat of River Betwa. This is where I would return often to treat
myself to myriad bucolic frames, one of these being the merry band of pilgrims,
which was to leave me mesmerized.

Orchha’s
small market square is a bustling place, very backpacker like and sometimes
very noisy, till quite late at night. Its shops largely sell souvenirs and
brass collectables, both nouveau and genuine antiques, which had me browsing through
quite often for a bargain. Most eateries, serving Indian choices as aloo-puri, are
around Ram Mandir. These are interspersed with handful modest cafes serving
surprisingly sparkling European fare.

Orchha
means ‘hidden place’. Truly, this little gem
hides plenty of surprises. One of these being rafting (see below). Go
discover some on your own and return enthralled.

RAFTING

MP
Tourism (07680-252618) organises two river rafting safaris (up to six persons
per raft). Beginning from the scenic Kanchana Ghat, the 90-min package (3.5 km/
Rs 1,200) includes refreshments, while the 3-hr package (6 km/ Rs 2,000)
includes breakfast or lunch.